Tank cleaning device



June 18, 1935. J. A. CRONIN TANK CLEANING DEVICE Filed Feb. 20, 1933 Invenior James A. Cram/7 FIG.4-

IATTORNEY Patented June 18, 1935 Y This invention relates to tank cleaning devices,

and particularly to one which is adapted to be installed in a ships tank and fused to clean off the coating of oil, scale and sediment which 5 adheres to the sides and bottomafter thecargo has been pumped out. I

There are a number of mechanical devices as well as various methods or systems by which they maybe operated to accomplish the'purpose-of cleaning the interior of a tank of this type; Most of these machines are relatively costly to build 1 and maintain due'to the corrosive conditions on board ship and'to the roughness with which they may be handled. Furthermore, the complications of rotating gearing, sleeves, packing]and the like, are, a constant source; of" 'tro'uble 'and annoyance, if not actualdelay, which is o f great importance, as demurrage on atankfship-laidup for; cleaningiis very expensive:

4 A still further objection to previous apparatus is its bulk, and weight, mostof ,themachines having long unwieldy tubular section's adapted to beprojected into a tank, with heavymecha nisms thereon; whichrequirezthe use oi special lifting and handling equipment, especial hatch covers are usually required, and a source'ofpower, such as compressed air, for operating the mechanism.f Also, the automatic type of cleaning equipment washesall parts of the tankinterior V, be adequately cleaned.

withoutregard to :the requirements forsuch action; Thus parts which require butflittle attention are repeatedly and uselessly contacted;-

while very. dirty and'inaccessible sections may not It isan object :or this inve tion to provide a very simple tankcleaning device ,which, may be used f orthe controlled internalwashing of ships? tanks and thelike. f Y

A further object is 'toprovide an apparatus of .thisnnature which is capablejotbeing easily handled without the use of slings, winches and like, and which may be dismantled and stowed in asmall space between periods of-use. Anotherobject is to provide a universal tank cleaning devicein which there are no accurately i fabricated or; machined parts so that replacements and repairs may be easily made with materials at hand on every cargo ship,, whether or not it'is atank vessel. I v 'Anoth'erVobject is to provide a tank cleaning device which is capable of intelligent direction by fan opera'torso that particularly dirty or in} I 'accessible 'parts-of a tank will receive proper cleaning while more" easily cleaned surfaces will not be repeatedly eontactedzforllongfperiods and tono;advaintfage. apparent from the description-which ,follows; and from the accompanying-drawing, which forms a part ofthi's specification and illustrates'a: preferrede'rnbodiment of this invention j l In thefdrawingt' 5 5 Figure 1' is anelevation of '"a' preferred form'- theap aratus-mashedi'nia, Ships tank.

' detail of a nozzle fitting or con- Fi ure is which sj 'supported in the tank, and to which a- "conve'ntional fire hose 1 and a nozzle may be attached. h n Y f 'Fi'gure's' 3 and 3a a 'e' 'sideandfront elevations, rspectivelygjof a barrier fitting which" may be used-to supportthe nozzle fitting -ona' wire cable or air r v v extensionhandlewhich a aaptearo' direct thefcarrierfand washing nozzle as desired byftheoperat'o'r;

' Refefring' to Figure 1 the numeral-H represents the hull of a tank ship in which is formed a-tank1spacel2 -'l3he detail's of frames, stringers; brackets, pip g, valves" and" the like, have been ommeursem sake of clarity,but are well known These and other -objects wilrxbe more fully' to'thoseskilledintheart," Ahatch Isis provided in the"'-de'ck formin'g'th a la'dder Il leads downwardly I therefrom to the bottom of thetankh Sideor' summer tanks may be mounted at theside' of the hull asat l5 In thepreferred embodiment, a steel 'wire cable I6 is securedat; the bottom of the tank, as to a frame, byj-mea ciao-clamp H, or any other means; and leads upwardly through the hatch l3.

The'u'pper'en'di of cable it may be secured to the topfof thetank l2, and

superstructure" of the ship orfto-atemporary A- mmemot shown) l over the hatch opening; Suitable tightening means such as a turnbuckle (not shown) may'be used todrawjthecable taut.

' Part'way up cable "if is attached a conventional cable clamp'orclip 18', whichmay be adjusted to suitalongthe length of" thecable," and which forms a "downwardmotion stop for the'nozzle carrying and directing apparatus. A steel washer l9, ofisuitablediametenmaybe slipped over the came aboveclampjl 8 toact as'a thrust washeror bearing. Abovethe washer I9 is showna nozzle carrier guide 20, 'which' may be made from two pieces of brass or"stee1 :pipe -21 and- 22 welded to'gether'at'right angles'as shown in Figure 3. Pipe2-l is adaptedto'slide freely on guide cable [5 and is of appreciable length, say three feet,

while pipe*22 forms a short horizontal bearing for a s'tub'shafton'the nozzle-fitting'23.v

Nozzle fitting or connector 23 is detailed in Figure 2, and consists of a suitable pipe nipple 24, which is threaded at both ends to receive a standard fire hose nozzle and hose coupling, respectively. A stub shaft or stud 25 is welded to one side of nipple 24 andis of such diameter as to be journalled in bearing 22 of the carrier guide 20. The outer endof stub shaft 251s drilledas shown to receive a cotter key 26, to secure the members 20 and 23 together.

An extension handle or fork 21 is detailed .in Figure 4, and consists of a U-shaped fork 28 at the lower end of a pipe or rod 29, which maybe made in sections, suitably jointed together. At the upper end of pipe 29 is attached a T handgrip 30. Extension handle 21 .is preferably made entirely of pipe, as it must be capable of taking a thrust under certain conditions of rose, and should be light in weight.

In operation, the lower end of guide cable It is attached toethe tramingj-at the bottomof the tank l2. This may be done before the tank has been freed or gas by an operator with a suitable mask, ormaybedone :aftersteaming and ventilating without such precaution. The carrier guide 20, to which has been attached the .nozzle fitting 23, carryingasuitable nozzle 3i andhose 32, is then lowered down cable It by means-of rope -33 until theassembly comes to rest on cable clamp l8 and washer l 9, .or to some higher position (not shown). as determined by the length of rope .33.

Extension handle 21 is vthen placed inthe position shown. in l with fork 28 straddling the stub shaft bearing 22.

."Hot salt water from a ships pump-(notshown) is then turned into the hose 32, which immediately becomes semi-rigidv as willbe readily appreciated. A suitable method of obtaining hot water is by tapping the warm water discharge from the ships main condenser, and then heating this water to a higher temperature (150"-175 F). by meansof asteam injector of the conventional type. The hotsalt water issues from the nozzle 3|, and may be directed as desired about a vertical axis, by means of the handle 21. Inclination of the nozzle 3| in a vertical plane about the stub'shaft25 is aceomplished-by-the amount of semi-rigid pressure-distended hose 32 which is inside the tank. If it is allowed toassume a large loop or bend adjacent the nozzle 3|, the latter will be directed substantially yertically upward; If the hose is withdrawn so that'there is no slack inthe tank, the nozzle 3| will be pointed vertically downward. Intermediate positions have been foundto be surprisingly stable and the direction of the nozzle stream is at all times under thecontrol of the operators, or which there areusually two, one for the orienting handle 21 andthe other for the hose 32. v

When the nozzle 3 l is inclined above a horizontal plane through the stub shaft 25'thereaction is absorbed by the-cable clamp l8, or by the rope 33; depending upon which is supporting the device. When thenozzle 3 l is inclined downwardly, or. below'a horizontalplane through the stub shaft 25, the reaction from the nozzle jet is upward and is absorbed by an operator through the extension handle 21; The weight of the'operator is fully, effective inabsorbing this thrust, and a heavy man can readily manipulate the device when the nozzle is pointing. downwardly and the water pressure is over 150 lbs. per square inch.

It is obvious that numerous changes could be madein the arrangement just described, without departing fromthe essential features of'the opening. These arrangements would obviate the necessity for an operator entering the tank before it was freed from gas. Either the cable clamp l8 or the rope 33 could be dispensed with,

and but one means employed for limiting the downward travel and thrust of the device. If a single position of the device proved practicable fora given size of tank, the carrier 20 could be fixed to cable l6, or could be mounted between two clamps, thus causing the cable to take both up and down thrusts and relieving the extension handle' and its operator from all loads except that necessary to rotate the nozzle carrier assembly' about the cable.

Although a specific construction embodying this invention has been described and illustrated, it is to-be understood that the invention is not limitedto that arrangement, and all such modifications andchanges as come within the scope of the. claims. are embraced thereby.

I claim:

1. A tank cleaning device comprising a support adapted to extend from the bottom of a tank to the top thereof, a nozzlecarrier longitudinally movable on said support, a nozzle pivoted on said carrier, orienting means for said carrier extending along; and to the upper end of the support and adapted to move said carrier about said support as an axis, and a hose connected to said nozzle and adapted to supply a. cleaning fluid thereto, said hose adapted to be manipulated from the outside. of said tank to move said nozzle in a. vertical plane. 2. A tank cleaning device comprising a support adapted to extend from the bottom of a tank to the top thereof, a nozzle carrier longitudinally movable on said support, a nozzle pivoted to move in a vertical plane on said carrier, orienting means for said. nozzle extending along and to the upper end of the support and adapted to move said nozzle about said support as an axis, and a hose connected to said nozzle and adapted to supply a cleaning fluid under pressure thereto, said hose adapted to hold said nozzle at a variable angle of inclination when vsaid hose is under pressure and is semi-rigid therefrom.

3..A tank cleaning device comprising a support adapted to extend from the bottom of a tank to the top thereof, anozzle carrier slidably mounted onsaid support, a nozzle pivoted on said carrier, a stop onsaid support below said carrier to receive the reaction of said nozzle along the line of said support, orienting means for said nozzle extending along and to the upper end of the support and adapted to move said nozzle about said'support, and a hose connected to said nozzle and adapted to supply cleaning fluid under pressure thereto.

4. A tank cleaning device comprising a support adapted to extend from the bottom of a tank to the top' thereof, a nozzle carrier rotatably mounted on said support, a nozzle on said carrier adapted to move about a substantially horizontal axis, a rope connected to said carrier to receive the downward reaction of said nozzle, orienting means whereby saidcarrier and nozzle may be moved about 'said support as an axis, and a hose connected to said nozzle and adapted to hold said nozzle at a variable angle of inclination when said hose is in a semi-rigid condition under the pressure of cleaning fluid supplied to said nozzle.

5. A tank cleaning device comprising a cable I adapted to be extended from the bottom of a tank said cable, orienting means extending from said nozzle carrier to a point outside of the tank whereby said carrier and nozzle may be moved about said cable as an axis and a hose connected vto said nozzle and adapted to be manipulated from the outside of the tankt'o move said nozzle in a vertical plane. I

6. A tank cleaning device comprising a cable adapted to be extended from the bottom of a tank to the top thereof, a nozzle carrier movably mounted on said cable, a nozzle onsaid carrier, a rope attached to said carrier to receive a downward reaction of said nozzle when said nozzle is pointed upwardly, orienting means extending from said nozzle carrier to a point outside of the tank whereby said carrier and nozzle maybe moved about said cable as an axis and a hose connected to said nozzle.

'7. A tank cleaning device comprising a cable adapted to be extended from the bottom of a tank to the top thereof, a sleeve slidably mounted on said cable, abearing attached to said sleeve, a shaft secured in said bearing, said shaft fixedto a nozzle fitting, a nozzle securedytoone end of said fitting, a hose secured to the opposite endv of said fitting, a restraining clip on said cable to prevent motion of said sleeve along said cable from a reaction of said nozzle, and an extension handle adapted to engage said sleeve to orient.-

said sleeve and nozzle about said cable as an axis.

8. A tank cleaning device comprising a guide adaptedto extend from an opening in'one wall of a tank to the opposite wall, a sleeve slidable on said guide, a bearing on said sleeve at right angles thereto, a shaft in said bearing, a hose connector attached to said shaft, a hose connected to one end of said connector, a nozzle connected to'the other end of said connector, and a handle adapted to engage said sleeve to rotate said sleeve on s I said guide. I

9. A tank cleaning-device comprising a guide adapted to extend from an opening in one wall of a tank to the opposite wall, a sleeve slidable on said guide, means on said guide to limit the movement of said sleeve, a bearing on said sleeve at right angles thereto, a shaft in said bearing, a hose connector attached to said shaft, a hose connected to one end of said conn'ector, a nozzle connected to the other end of said connector, and a handle adapted to engage said bearing to rotate said sleeve on said guide.

JAMES A. CRONIN, 

